Water, energy and food (agriculture) are fundamental requirements for a thriving economy, and these systems are interlinked. We see evidence of this in the disruptions to South Africa’s water supply that have already occurred. These water shortages are largely due to the power cuts that result from our country’s energy crisis, and they will inadvertently negatively affect the agricultural sector.

It is important therefore to evaluate what can be done now to prevent further breakdowns in the water, energy and food interface in the future, particularly in light of South Africa’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

The first and most evident solution is to resolve the energy crisis. However, load shedding is worse than when it first began 14 years ago. Therefore, other solutions need to be explored while measures are being taken to restore reliable power supply.

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